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SACRAMENTO ADVOCACY
Governmental Relations and Association Management

State Public Affairs Committee
Junior Leagues of California


This non-partisan group represents over 13,000 women 
in 16 communities across the state.


By-Laws

ARTICLE I
NAME

            The name of this organization shall be the of the Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs committee (hereafter referred to as SPAC).

 ARTICLE II
PURPOSE

            The purpose of SPAC shall be to take action on select state and national issues that support our projects, to educate individual League memberships on issues selected for action by SPAC, to facilitate communication among the member Junior Leagues of California in the area of public affairs, to provide training in advocacy skills, and strategies, and to act as the representative of the member Leagues at the state and national levels.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1 – Member Leagues

The member Leagues of SPAC are:  Junior League of Bakersfield; Junior League of Fresno; Junior League of Long Beach; Junior League of Los Angeles; Junior League of Monterey County; Junior League of Napa-Sonoma; Junior League of Oakland-East Bay; Junior League of Orange County; Junior League of Palo Alto-Mid Peninsula; Junior League of Pasadena; Junior League of Riverside; Junior League of Sacramento; Junior League of San Diego; Junior League of San Francisco; Junior League of San Jose; and Junior League of Santa Barbara.  Other Leagues in California may join SPAC upon application to the SPAC Chair and approval of two-thirds of the SPAC member Leagues.

 SECTION 2 – Classes of Membership

  1. Composition.    SPAC shall be composed of two Delegates from each of the member Leagues.  The Delegates shall serve a two-year term.  The Delegates will be referred to as a senior Delegate or a junior Delegate.
  2.  Privileges.  Each senior Delegate is eligible to serve as an officer (other than SPAC Chair) or as an ad hoc committee or subcommittee chair.
  3. Voting.  Each member League shall be entitled to one vote.  Each member League’s voting delegate shall be as defined in Article VIII, Section 3(b). 

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS AND OTHER SLATED POSITIONS

SECTION 1 – Officers

             Officers of SPAC shall consist of a Chair/Co-Chairs (hereafter referred to as Chair), Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.  There shall be a Trainer, Parliamentarian and Nominating Chair serving the Officers and Delegates of SPAC. 

 SECTION 2 – Election of Officers

  1.  Nominating Committee
    1.    The Nominating Committee (an ad hoc committee) (“Nominating Committee or “Nominating”) consists of a Nominating Chair, who is selected in accordance with Article IV, Section 2.D, and two senior Delegates who are appointed by the SPAC Chair.  The Nominating Committee shall be appointed no later than the close of the Fall Conference.
  2. Distribution of Nomination Forms
    1.    The Nominating Chair shall distribute nomination forms by January 1 of each year.
  3. Election of Chair.
    1.     Senior Delegates only may submit for the SPAC chair position by submitting a statement of qualifications letter in writing to the Nominating Chair by February 1 of each year.  Write in candidates can be added to the voting Delegate’s ballot on condition the candidate supply a letter of qualifications in writing.  Candidates are encouraged to submit as early as possible.  Announcement of candidates will be made as submitted.
    2.   The Nominating Chair will distribute qualifications and ballots by 9:00 a.m. the first full day of the Winter Conference.  Voting Delegates must return the ballots to the Nominating Chair when called for, according to the Winter Conference Agenda.
    3.   The majority vote will determine the SPAC Chair.  Majority means “more than half” of the votes cast by Delegates legally entitled to vote.
    4.   In the event that no nominee/nominees receives the majority of the vote, a second ballot with the names of the top two nominees will be distributed to the voting Delegates.  In the event that no nominee receives a majority of the vote after the second ballot, the Nominating Committee will decide the Chair.
  4.  Slating and Election of Officers and Positions, Other than Chair
    1.   Delegates may nominate and Junior Delegates may self submit for all leadership positions.  Submissions shall be made in writing to the Nominating Chair by February 1 of each year.  The Nominating Chair shall distribute submissions to each Nominating Committee member no later than February 15 of each year.
    2.  If no self-submission or nomination is received for any Junior Delegate by February 1, the Nominating Committee can assign that Junior Delegate to a position.
    3.  Generally, Conference Hosts will not be required to hold another office or position unless a vacancy occurs.  If the vacancy exists during the ballot submission timeframe from January 1 to February 1, the Nominating Chair shall so inform the Conference Hosts and request a self-submission form from them.
    4. The Nominating Committee shall have a tentative slate prepared in advance of the Winter Conference.  After consultation with the duly elected incoming Chair, the tentative slate shall be finalized and presented to the Delegates no later than the Sunday morning session of the Winter Conference.  The slate of Officers and positions other than Chair shall be voted on at the Spring Conference.

 SECTION 3 – Vacancies

             The presiding Chair shall fill a vacancy of an Officer of any position, other than the Chair.  In the case of a vacancy in the office of Chair, the Nominating Committee will select a successor with the approval of the Executive Committee to assume duties immediately.  The appointment of the Chair will be ratified by a majority of voting Delegates at the next conference.

 ARTICLE V
COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES

 SECTION 1 – Executive Committee

  1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the four Officers along with the Trainer, Parliamentarian and Nominating Chair. All members of the Executive Committee are voting members.
  2. The Executive Committee will act in an administrative and advisory role, with input from SPAC Delegates.
  3. The Executive Committee will act in accordance with and promote SPAC’s mission and goals stated by these by-laws.

 SECTION 2 – Subcommittees

  1. The SPAC Delegates will divide into subcommittees corresponding to focus areas as developed by the SPAC roadmap.  Each subcommittee will monitor pending legislation in a specific SPAC focus area.
  2. The Legislative Analyst will monitor pending legislation, identify legislation in SPAC focus areas, and, as soon as possible after a bill, item or issues in a SPAC focus area is introduced in the Assembly or Senate, provide a copy of such bill, item or issue to the appropriate subcommittee chair.
  3. As soon as possible after receipt of bills, items or issues from the Legislative Analyst, each subcommittee chair shall transmit the bills, items or issues to subcommittee members for research and analysis.
  4. Each SPAC subcommittee member will research and analyze each bill, item or issue assigned to her and develop a recommendation as to what action SPAC should take on each bill, item or issue.  Each SPAC Delegate will present her written recommendation to her subcommittee at the next SPAC conference or regional meeting (unless immediate action is necessary as to a specific bill, item or issue, in which case the subcommittee member may proceed in accordance with the procedure for action between meetings.)
  5. At the SPAC conference or regional meeting, the SPAC subcommittee will do an analysis of the bill, item or issue and vote within the subcommittee to endorse, watch or oppose.  The subcommittee chair holds the tie-breaking vote.

 ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS

SECTION 1 – Regular and Regional Meetings

             SPAC shall hold a minimum of two 2-day conferences and one 3-day conference per year, with the option of calling additional meetings at the request of an individual member League or at the discretion of the Chair.  Regional meetings of the Northern and Southern California Leagues may be called at the request of an individual member League at the discretion of the Chair.

 SECTION 2 – Notices

             Notices of the time and place of each meeting shall be sent to Delegates not less than three weeks before the date of the meeting.

 SECTION 3 – Quorum

             A quorum for the purpose of conducting business at conferences shall be a majority of the member Leagues.  A quorum for the purpose of conducting business at a regional meeting shall be a majority of those Leagues designated for attendance in that region.  No business conducted at a regional meeting shall be binding on the SPAC Delegation as a whole unless ratified by the SPAC Delegation in accordance with these bylaws.

 ARTICLE VII
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST

SECTION 1 – Purpose

             The role of the Legislative Analyst is to identify and track issues of interest to the Junior Leagues of California that fall within the focus areas, or under the position statements of SPAC.

 SECTION 2 – Oversight

             The Legislative Analysts are independent contractors retained by SPAC pursuant to a written contract.  The SPAC Chair and the Executive Committee, based on input from all SPAC delegates, have the duty to evaluate the Legislative Analyst’s performance under the contract.  All contracts are to be approved by the Executive Committee.

 SECTION 3 – Responsibilities

             The responsibilities of the Legislative Analysts shall be detailed in a contract between the Legislative Analyst and SPAC, which is approved by the SPAC Chair and the Executive Committee, and which is designed in accordance with and to promote SPAC’s legislative, public policy function as described in these Bylaws.  Generally, the contract will provide, without limitation, that the Legislative Analyst:

  1. Monitors pending legislation, identifies legislation in SPAC focus areas, and as soon as possible after a bill, item or issue in a SPAC focus areas is introduced in Assembly or Senate, provides a copy of such bill, item or issue to the appropriate subcommittee chair.  If provided for in the duly adopted annual budget, the Legislative Analyst shall also provide copies of all bills, items or issues in the SPAC focus areas to each SPAC Delegate at the Winter Conference.
  2. Tracks endorsed bills and provide monthly feedback of bill status to SPAC Chair, and to subcommittee chair from which the endorsement came.
  3. Identifies coalitions, task forces and other groups with common issues of interest and, if possible, makes introductions to appropriate SPAC delegates.
  4. Writes reports and summary sheets, for each conference.
  5. Attends and provides delegate training at SPAC conferences and any other meetings when requested to do so by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII
ACTION BY SPAC

 SECTION 1 – Advocacy by SPAC

             Action in the form of advocacy may be taken by SPAC in the name of the Junior Leagues of California with a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the voting Delegates on one or more of the following:

  1. An approved SPAC Position Statement and any accompanying plan of action.  Position Statements will be reviewed by the Executive Committee at the Spring Conference, and any proposed revisions will be discussed and voted on by the SPAC Delegates at the Fall Conference.
  2. A common interest as evidenced by a common position on a bill, item or issue that has been supported by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the member Leagues.
  3. Sponsorship, endorsement, opposition or watching legislation, as set forth in Article VIII, Section 2, below.

 SECTION 2 – Endorsement of or Opposition to Legislation/Watch

  1. Endorsement:  SPAC’s “endorsement” of legislation is defined as giving official approval of, or support to, that bill, item or issue, and suggest its positive sanction, approbation, praise, and commendation by SPAC.  Endorsement also suggests a willingness and desire for SPAC to take a public stand on that item or issue.
  2. Opposition:  SPAC’s “opposition” to legislation is defined as setting itself against that bill, item or issue, and suggest its negative action, disapprobation and resistance by SPAC.  Opposition also suggests a willingness and desire for SPAC to take a public stand on that item or issue.
  3.  Watch:  In lieu of voting to endorse or oppose a bill, item or issue, SPAC, through the action of the appropriate subcommittee, may vote to monitor the bill, item or issue, with the purpose of deferring the decision of whether to endorse or oppose the bill, item or issue to a future date.
  4.  Sponsorship.  SPAC’s “sponsorship” of legislation is defined as actively assisting a legislator with conceptualizing, drafting, promoting and processing legislation through the legislative process toward passage and enrollment.  Sponsorship also suggests a commitment to attending meetings, hearings, votes and taking all necessary actions associated with the passage of the legislation.

 SECTION 3 – Voting Policies

  1.  Voting may take place at all conferences and regional meetings.
  2. The Senior Delegate will be the “voting delegate” after consultation with the Junior Delegate.  The Senior Delegate shall take the Junior Delegate’s opinion into consideration, but the Senior Delegate shall have the final say on the vote cast.  If the Senior Delegate and the Junior Delegate do not agree, the Senior Delegate may, but shall not be required to, abstain from voting on the issue.  The Junior Delegate becomes the voting delegate in the absence of the Senior Delegate.  All proxy votes must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
  3. If a quorum does not exist at a conference or regional meeting, voting may take place by polling the voting Delegates by mail, email or by telephone.  The results of any such vote shall be ratified at and reflected in the minutes of the next conference.
  4. Each Delegate shall represent and reflect, to the best of her ability, the position of her home League in voting on all matters coming before the SPAC body.  In doing so, she shall exercise her individual judgment.
  5. Between meetings, voting Delegates may be polled by mail, email or by telephone on issues demanding immediate attention, in accordance with the Policies and Procedures.  Senior voting delegates shall consult with Junior Delegates as set forth above before casting votes.  The results of any such vote shall be ratified at and reflected in the minutes of the next regularly scheduled conference.

 SECTION 4 – Voting Procedures at Meetings

             Legislation, initiatives, propositions and/or other public policy instruments, actions or activities that fall under either SPAC Position Statements, focus areas or a common interest (see Article VIII, Section 1.B) may be sponsored, endorsed, watched or opposed, and then advocated for or against, based on the following:

  1. The same day that a subcommittee decides to recommend that SPAC either endorse or oppose a bill, item or issue, the subcommittee chair will notify the SPAC Chair of the proposed recommendation and request time to make a presentation on the bill, item or issue to SPAC.  The SPAC Chair will cause the preparation of a schedule indicating the order in which the subcommittees will make their presentations; the bills, items or issues to be presented and the action proposed by the subcommittee; and will circulate the schedule or otherwise notify each Delegate of the schedule.
  2. Each Delegate presenting a bill, item or issue for vote by SPAC at the SPAC conference or regional meeting shall give to each Senior Delegate from each member League,  a copy of the SPAC Analysis Form for the bill, item or issue to be presented in advance of the time the item or issue is actually presented.
  3. An endorsement, sponsorship or opposition action requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting Delegates.

             If a vote is secured on a state bill, item or issue as set forth in this Article, then the Legislative Analyst will follow it.  The Legislative Analyst shall keep SPAC Delegates informed of the status in the process of that bill, item or issue, and of any action that is either necessary or recommended for member Leagues and/or SPAC Delegates to take.

 ARTICLE IX
DUES AND FISCAL POLICIES

SECTION 1 – Budget and Fiscal Year.

  1. SPAC’s fiscal year shall be from June 1 through May 31.
  2. SPAC shall adopt a budget annually at the Spring Conference.

 SECTION 2 – Dues

             Each member League shall pay annual dues to SPAC.  Dues shall go into the general fund and pay for: the travel, mailing and telephone expenses of the Chair, the fees and expenses of the Legislative Analyst, and the non-travel-related expenses of the Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Trainer, SPACtion Editor, Nominating Chair, Parliamentarian and Subcommittees as budgeted and approved by the delegate body.  In the event of Co-Chairs, the additional costs associated with having Co-Chairs will be shared between the Co-Chairs’ home Leagues.    Dues shall be as set and approved by two-thirds of the voting Delegates at the Spring Conference, in accordance with the dues structure set forth in the Policies and Procedures.

 SECTION 3 – Non Dues Income.

            SPAC may accept grant funds, collect fees and accept gratuities for the distribution of printed training or other materials published by the Delegate body.  SPAC may, with two-thirds (2/3) approval of the voting Delegates, distribute the monies collected as specified herein, in the following manner:

  1. The monies may be added to the general fund, as specified in Article IX, Section 2.
  2. The monies may be used to create a separate fund for the purposes of training, obtaining speakers, and/or providing programs to educate SPAC Delegates, member Leagues and/or community members.

 ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

             Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, latest edition shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.

ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

             These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting Delegates.  Notice of proposed Bylaw amendments shall be given in writing to the voting Delegates not less than 21 days prior to a SPAC conference or such other time for which a vote is called.  Members of the Executive Committee, with approval of the Chair, are authorized to correct article and section designations, punctuation, and cross-references and to make such other technical and conformation changes as may be necessary to reflect the intent of the approved amendments.

 The Appendices to these Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of either the Executive Committee or the voting Delegates, providing that such amendment does not conflict with these Bylaws.

 APPENDICES TO BYLAWS

RESERVED.

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